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Barack Obama and Ebony magazine.Close

But all the coverage won’t be like that, one editor said.

“We’ll be asking what he is going to do on specific issues that African-Americans are interested in — unemployment, AIDS, housing, health we are going to be following all of those things,” said Tatsha Robertson of Essence. “It is historic but we are going to take him to task.”

Robertson said Essence will use its website to break news, and its Obama watch section is one of the most popular features on the website.

The moves are also an indication of the deep ties Obama formed with the black press — and by extension, the black community — over the course of the campaign. Black support for the president-elect was 95 percent, a record.

“We did do a very good job of fostering strong relationships during campaign … and the community had unprecedented access,” said Corey Ealons, the campaign’s director of African-American media. On weekly conference calls during the general election, Ealons said he would put the campaign’s core issues — heath care, joblessness, education — in the context of the black community.

“It was just a matter of spelling it out and making it plain — that the unemployment rate in our community is double the national average, that 95 percent of black children go to public schools — so they could report it back to the community,” Ealons said. “And they did so. The desire now is to maintain and sustain that.”

For Ebony, the nation’s oldest black magazine with a monthly readership of 12 million, the coverage paid off — the Chicago-based magazine landed Obama’s first post-election interview.

The newsier turn is due, at least in part, to the black brain drain from mainstream publications because of massive industry buyouts and layoffs. And black publications like Ebony and Essence have reaped the rewards, landing reporters and editors from such top newspapers as the Baltimore Sun, Newsday and the Boston Globe and such organizations as the former Knight Ridder chain.

“There is a sense of going to back to the roots of where we used to get our news,” said Barbara Ciara, president of the National Association of Black Journalists. “When we first learned of something that was going to happen in our community, it hit the black press long before it hit the mainstream.”

BET, which will host an inaugural ball for the first time in the network’s history, ran 10 hours of Election Night coverage and reached 10.7 million viewers, topping CNBC’s coverage. Correspondents, who were spread out in cities across the country, were expected to reflect on the moment as well as to report the news.

“We made the decision that we needed to cover the visceral aspects of the election as well,” said Keith Brown, senior vice president of news. “Reporters had a responsibility to give the information but also say what it felt like and what it meant to our community. They were our storytellers and not just reporters.”

BET, long criticized for running too many booty-shaking music videos, is in the process of expanding its news coverage beyond the current 25 hours a month. But don’t expect “Meet the Press” or a nightly news-style broadcast.

“People are demanding change and accountability and they want to know what’s happening and they want people who they trust to break it down and help them understand it,” Brown said. “And we have a very key role in doing that. Sometimes the most traditional way isn’t the most effective, but it’s going to be grounded in solid reporting.”

BET, long criticized for running too many booty shaking music videos, is in the process of expanding their news coverage beyond the current 25 hours a month. But don’t expect “Meet The Press” or a nightly news-style broadcast.

They do need to clean up their act at BET. BET is a true cesspool that VH1 has now copied. Flavor-Flav!! A nice group of channels for young women!

TeamPolitico: Jan. 3, 2009 - 6:47 AM EST

“Katrina happened under Bush and Rwanda happened under Clinton,” said Ryan, who has been one of a handful of black reporters in the White House press corps during that time. “If more reporters of color were here, maybe those issues would have garnered more attention, and it could have made a difference.”

Who gives a rats arse about Rwanda? There is nothing strategically viable for the US there.

“People are demanding change and accountability and they want to know what’s happening and they want people who they trust to break it down and help them understand it,”

The GOP should now rally around Obama, cause the Dems ripped the country in half over Bush

A theme in the post election, pre 44th presidency is that our country is in such dire straits that we must put partisanship aside and all rally around the Barack of Obama? It sure sounds patriotic, and those who hold the highest positions on the right like McCain and Gingrich are telling us to do so.

But the question that sticks in my craw is where was this patriotic request when our nation was in the dark days of the Iraq War. For at least the last 3 yrs the media has been savaging Bush and they still are! The guy is leaving office in a few weeks, must we still pile on? Is that good for the nation too?

On the economic front, you cant turn on the TV without an expert telling us that confidence is paramount in a market economy, well, if thats the case why was the media and dems down selling the economy for the last 3 yrs? I'm sure the calls for the coming of the next Great Depression had zero to do with consumer confidence, right?

The dem's main plan in the Congress for the last 5 yrs was to do nothing, dont solve any problems we have, The 110th "do nothing" Dem controlled congress had a 9% approval rating last year, they even cheered and applauded in the '06 State of the Union when Bush admitted he failed in trying to fix Social Security! Dems cheering for not fixing a broken retirement system, they wouldn't even talk about how to fix it, was that good for the country?

In the last 7 yrs or so the blogosphere has became mainstream and filled with vitriolic hate and slander, from 9/11 truther nonsence, to calls of war-profiteering for corporate fascist, and the Dems pandered to this crowd at the dailyKos conventions held annually. While MoveOn called Gen. Petraeus "Be tray us" a traitor, and Obama backed them up, refusing to condemn it in the senate.

Remember Harry Reid, the most powerful Dem senator saying "the war is lost and the surge a failure" ? Before the surge even began! And Sen Dick Durban's calling our troops modern Nazis or Russian Gulagers? How patriotic of him! And can we ever forget Rep. Pete Stark eloquent words on the floor of congress "You don't have money to fund the war or children, but you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President's amusement." That sure helped the morale of the country, and the troops we where sending off to battle, not to mention our enemies who are listening too! Way to come together for the nations sake!!

Now after 4 or more yrs of Dem blood sucking off the deranged Hatred of Bush, the media and the dems now want us all to hold hands and rally around Obama ........for the good of the nation!

So yes, even though Bush, and the nation, was not treated well, all in the name of partisan gain. It is time to rally around Obama, especially in matters of war, for to repeat the ugly and some times treasonous behavior of the left would be very bad for the country, and like my mother says "two wrongs dont make a right" !!........I garentee you will never find the GOP repeating the wartime slander of the dems.

But just because the MSM has a man crush on the "One" that does not mean that Obama should get a free pass either, for in the absence of an honest fair media the country needs a loyal ( thats loyal, big difference from what we have had for the last 6 yrs) opposition to check the power of its leaders, more now than ever.

because the corrupt (d) congressman Jefferson used the states National Guard to guard and remove his personal property from the flooded ( we had no clue that included 90,000 in his freeze- no wonder he was worried) area while his constituents baked in the heat of New Orleans with out water

because the brand spanking new national gigantic bureaucracy of Homeland Security failed their first time up to bat

because the local N.O. police decided to loot instead of secure the city right after the flood

because gang bangers went on a rampage shooting at aid trucks and stealing and killing people in the superdome

then is all Bush's fault !!!

and lets use the occasion to race bait and tell black people that Bush hates you ( Kanye West on NBC )

don't forget according loony libs, Bush blew up the levees cause he hates black people !!

way to unite a nation and stop the culture of personnel destruction in Washington

hopefully, the election of Barack Obama will bring a sense of personal responsibility to black America , and they will stop blaming the "man" for everything under the sun ............like a hurricane

“It was just a matter of spelling it out and making it plain — that the unemployment rate in our community is double the national average, that 95 percent of black children go to public schools — so they could report it back to the community,” Ealons said. “And they did so. The desire now is to maintain and sustain that.”

Obama has sent his precious 2 black kids to private school. Perhaps this will start a debate that Democrats will engage in for choices in education.. yeah, right! The unions will crush that debate! Their moto is: Say yes to pro-choice for killing unborn babies and no to pro-choice for education.

TeamPolitico: Jan. 3, 2009 - 6:47 AM EST

The press as a whole has faced charges of pro-Obama bias – including respected names like PBS’ Gwen Ifill, who is black – but the magazine editors say they know they must provide balanced coverage to their readers.

Today in the Rocky Mountain News there is a story about the new leaders in our Colorado capitol. Our new Senate President is Peter Groff, and our new House Speaker is Terrance Carroll, both black men.all

A milestone at the Colorado Capitol

This is historic in our state, which has a long and sordid history of racism. In the 1920’s Colorado was riddled with KKK. Our state government was basically run by them. They would have cross burning festivals with thousands showing up in white robes and hoods.

So, to see two African American men in control of two of the highest offices in our state proves to me that we’ve come a long way. There is no question that we have much more to do to achieve true equality and racial parity in this country (and the world), but we are making progress.

It gives me hope for the future. To look back and see photos of cross burnings and lynching’s being perpetrated by my predecessors in my state makes me weep. But, seeing our state now elect two men of integrity and honor to the top levels of government, and to do that simply because of their integrity and honor and not because they are or aren’t this skin tone or that, brings great joy to me.

On the economic front, you cant turn on the TV without an expert telling us that confidence is paramount in a market economy, well, if thats the case why was the media and dems down selling the economy for the last 3 yrs? I'm sure the calls for the coming of the next Great Depression had zero to do with consumer confidence, right?

Exactly.

Have you noticed the media is now saying "things are looking up for 2009"...and the DOW suddenly surges back up over 9000?

During the 2000 election, Bush/Cheney were hammered on by the press for "talking down the economy", despite a spiraling NASDAQ and a shrinking GDP.

It will be refreshing indeed to see Democrats in control of wide swaths of our government – local, state, and federal.all

Republicans have lost the confidence of most Americans because of their ineptitude. Naturally they don’t like this and will now do everything they can to bring down the Democrats. This is understandable and predictable.

However, it will not diminish the fact that the GOP is withering away for a variety of reasons – greed, bloodlust, incompetence, religious fundamentalism, racism, homophobia – and that in order to become relevant again they must reach out to a diverse country that they are as ignorant about as they are dismissive of.

So does this mean black entertainment/media will finally "grow up"...and ditch the whole hip-hop/ghetto thing?

Bob Johnson, founder of BET and current owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, is one individual who is generally despised by a large segment of black middle class americans. BET was once a voice of black america but has deteriorated to levels of smut which promote the "gangasta" lifestyle without shame. I fail to understand how any self-respecting black could support an enterprise which foster the worst sterotypes about blacks and encourages our youth to emulate such a destructive, non-productive lifestyle.

As for Bob Johnson, he was ridiculed (rightly so) by many blacks with his "performance" at a black church in SC where he implied that Obama was selling/using drugs while Hillary was working hard for all americans. He has also managed to make the Bobcats one of the worst run NBA franchises in history. He is worthless...

WOW!! We're not only going have the First ARAB President but one that is only going to be President of 15% of the American people! Sounds like a plan to me! Being "Black" is going to be job #1 nowadays! Unless this Obie dude and his slicks back off this racist template riiiiiiil quick there is going to be much deviltry afoot riiiiiiil soon! The breakdown of American culture is at hand and will be replaced by anarchist fiefdoms (which has already occurred in most of our major cities) and vigilantism out side their gates.

I fail to understand how any self-respecting black could support an enterprise which foster the worst sterotypes about blacks and encourages our youth to emulate such a destructive, non-productive lifestyle.

Morning CBL, you said it.

I've worked with a lot of highly educated/professional blacks (including an ex-astronaut).

I could never understand the media's heavy cultural focus on hip-hop/gangsta...when you've got jazz.